China signalled on Sunday (October 12, 2025) that it would not back down in the face of a 100% tariff threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, urging the U.S. to resolve differences through negotiations instead of threats.
“China's stance is consistent,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online. “We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.”
The response came two days after Trump threatened to jack up the tax on imports from China by November 1 in response to new Chinese restrictions on the export of rare earths, a key ingredient for many consumer and military products.
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The back-and-forth threatens to derail a possible meeting between Mr. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and e